New momentum

For over one week now, more than 94% of businesses in the Southern economic hub has resumed their production with over 95% of workers being back to work after Tet holiday.

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A worker of Go Vap district-based Joint Stock Company 28.1 under the Corporation 28 of the General Department of Logistics 

Workers at Go Vap district-based Joint Stock Company 28.1 under the Corporation 28 of the General Department of Logistics, which specializes in garments making, are working with the highest capacity, focusing on orders from the U.S., Australia, and European countries.

Working for the company for more than 21 years now, Nguyen Van Hong from Hai Duong province said that good income and policy offered by the company make him feel secure at work. Despite difficulties facing the garment sector due to COVID-19, his company has ensured orders uninterrupted, so workers have resumed work since the beginning of the lunar New Year. In addition, good Tet welfare policy has helped keep workers attached to the company.

Senior Colonel Tran Doan Thoan, Director of Joint Stock Company 28.1 informed that the company pro-actively signed agreements on production capacity with its partners, ensuring stable source of orders. It also built a production plan a month earlier, so when workers returned after Tet, production could be started quickly with the best productivity. The company strives to reach about 23%-25% of the year plan in the first quarter.

The urgent working atmosphere was also seen at Joint Stock Company 32 under the General Department of Logistics.

Worker Thai Thi Kim Phung from Tra Vinh province shared her excitement when resumed her work after Tet holiday. “Hopefully the company will have more orders so workers can get their income raised,” Phung said.

Almost all businesses in Ho Chi Minh City resumed their operation on January 30 (the ninth day of the lunar New Year). Receiving good treatment policies, workers actively went back to work.

Huynh Van Tuan, head of the Trade Union for export processing zones and industrial parks in Ho Chi Minh City, said that many businesses are determined to achieve the highest productivity in the first months and first quarters of the year to confirm their brands and prestige.

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Workers return to work after Tet.

Keeping production rhythm, realizing growth target

Ho Chi Minh City is home to more than 286,000 enterprises and 460,000 individual production and business establishments, employing over 4.7 million workers. In late 2022, some businesses faced difficulties with fewer orders, forcing workers to work in a rotational manner. However, positive signs were seen after the Tet holiday with improved orders businesses get and high number of workers returning to works.

General Director Lu Nguyen Xuan Vu of Xuan Nguyen Group Joint Stock Company in Binh Chanh district said that with new orders since January 26, his workers have been doing three shifts a day after Tet holiday. The company targets to export to key Southeast Asian countries with growth reaching 20%. In the first quarter, it will debut new high-quality products.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Ngo Thanh Thang, General Director of Joint Stock Company 32, the company has developed various practical solutions to keep its market share, expand markets, ensure abundant orders, and generate jobs for employees. Last year, it achieved 105% of the year plan.

To boost production and business activities, businesses in the city have paid attention to employing more workers. Statistics from the municipal Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, showed that in the first quarter of this year, nearly 500 businesses are expected to recruit over 14,300 employees, including 5,000 in garment, leather and footwear, 2,200 in electrical-electronics, and 1,000 in the wholesale sector, and more.

In this month, the city will organize job transaction activities and related events in Can Tho, Ben Tre, Long An, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Gia Lai and Kon Tum. Job exchange floors will also be held to help connect businesses and workers.

Also in February, the municipal People’s Committee will hold a meeting with businesses to listen to, and remove difficulties and obstacles for businesses to develop in the coming time, thus creating momentum to achieve the economic growth goal of 7.5% - 8% in 2023.

Translated by Mai Huong